Flying machine



March l2, 1929. A. HERBERT 1,704,831

FLYING MACHINE Filed NOV 725. D326 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

Zed #uw BY M A TTORNE Y.

Mmh 12 1929 A. HERBERT 1,704,831

FLYING MACHI NE Filed NOV. 25, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 l N VEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y March l2, A HERBERT FLYING MACHINE Filed Nov. 25, 1926 3sheets-sneer 5 INVEN TOR.

A TTORNEY,

Patented Mar. 12, 1929.`

UNITED STATES ALFRED HERBERT, 0F MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY.

FLYING MACHINE.

Application led November 25, 1926. Serial No. 150,636.

My invention relates to motor-driven heavier than air flying machinesand has for its object to produce a flying machine of considerablecarrying capacity and driving power and having a considerablesafety-margin.

The flying machine, according to my invention 1s equipped with two pairsof rigid wings, one pair arranged on either side of the air-plane body,and the Wings of each pair being disposed in substantially the samehorizontal plane, one behind the other, which arrangement gives theair-plane great stability. Into the Wings are built cabinflikestructures for housing the engines which drive the propellers.Preferably, two engines, each equipped with a propeller', are placed ineach wing so that eight engines and eight propel- 1ers are available. Atthe rear end, the airplane is provided with the usual vertical rudder aswell as two horizontal rudders, Whereas along either side oftheair-plane body are provided two additional steering planes, one beinglocated practically below the forward wing and the other below the rearwing but back of the same. A single means is provided in the forwardedsection of the air plane body for simultaneously controlling the twohorizontal rudders and the additional steering planes. Between the twopairs of wings on either side of the air-plane body, there is provided agangway to establish communieation between each two pairs of wings,while the machine is in flight. The lowerportion of the air-plane bodyis arranged t0 contain a dining-room, parlor and baggageroom as wellas'space for the fuel-tanks, whereas above the dining-room and parlorare provided sleeping quarters. Finally, on top of the airsplane body isprovided an aerial for transmitting and receiving radiomessages.

For a fuller understanding of my inven tion. I refer to the annexeddrawings in which l have shown, by way of illustration, an embodiment ofmy invention. and in which Fig. 1 is a top-plan view of the newairplane, Fig. 2 a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 a central longitudinalvertical section. Fig. 4 a front elevation and Fig, a diagrammatic Viewshowing the steering arrangement.

As shown in Fig. 1, the firing machine coniprises the central bodyportion 1 of 'sigan shape and the four rigid wings or supporting planes9, 3, it and 5, which lc-arly shown are arranged in pairs on either sideof the body 1, one behind the other, the wings lying substantiallv inthe same horizontal plane. At the tail end of the body 1 is provided themovable vertical rudder 6 and on both sides thereof the movablehorizontal rudders 7 and 8 which are pivoted to the stationary steeringplanes 9 and 10 respectively. Additional movable steering planes arearranged in pairs on either side of the body 1, two being shown in Fig.1 at 11 and 12 and the other two being indicated in Fig. 1 by the brokenlines at 13 and 111. The forward steering planes 13 and 14 are locatedbelow the forward wings 4 and 5 practically in the same vertical plane,whereas the rear planes 11 and 12, which lie in about the sainehorizontal plane with the said forward steering planes, lie somewhatback of the rear wings 2 and 3.

Into each wing are built two cabin-like structures 15 equipped withwindows as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4. in which structures arehoused the engines (not shown) for driving the propellers indicated at16. There being provided four Wings, two on either side of body 1, eightengines and eight propellers are thus provided. The horse-power of eachengine is such, that four engines are sufficient to drive the airplaneat the desired speed, so that four engines are always in reserve to beused. should any of the other engines fail for some reason. Thearrangement is such, that. when the inside engines of the rear wing arein operation, the outside engines on the forward wing are used, and viceversa. whereby the stresses and the vibrations are more uniformlydistributed or balanced. In order to afford ready access to the Variousengine-cab ins. each wing-pair is connected by gangways 17 and 18respectively (Fig. 1).

An additional engine is shown at 19 in Fig. 3 the shaft 20 of whichengine projects from the rear end of the body 1 and at its end carries ascrew-primcller 21. adapted to drive the airplane. should the saine haveto descend on water.

ln the cxtreme forward section of the body l located the steering cabinQ2 containing the steering wheel Ql to which are connected the wires 24and Q5 for operating the steerinj' .ane-s l1. 12. 12%.,and 14 and themovable he :contat rudders 7 and 8.. will be seen from the diagrannnaticFig 5. the arrange nient is such that. when the steering planes 11, t2,13, 14 are turned downwards from the full-line position the broken-lineposition, the horizontal rudders 7 and 8 are by the same control tiltedfrom the full-lineposition to the broken-line position, and vice-Versa.Sep arate wires 26, 27 (Fig. 1) run from the steering cabin'to thevertical rudder 6 which controls the lateral position of the machine.

In Fig. 4 are shown the stays 28, 29, for the wings, whereas on top ofthe body 1 is shown at 3() an aerial for the transmission and receptionof wireless signals, the wires 31, 32 being provided to steady theaerial.

The inner arrangement of the body Will appear from Fig. 3, according towhich the lower space is designed to contain a dining room and parlor,whereas the upper space is designed for sleeping quarters, thevport-holes therefor being indicated at 33 in Fig. 3. Back of thedining-room is provided space for baggage and fuel-tanls.

Ihe flying machine is compact, of large carrying capacity and drivingpower and has great stability. control is perfect.

Of course, I do not limit myself to the ae- It is easily steered and itstual constructionas shown, ivliich is merely for illustration purposes.

I claim:

1. In a flying machine of the heavier than air type, the combinationwith the body portions eontaining cabins, of two pairs of spacedstationary Wings of substantial depth, the said pairs being' provided oncit-lier side of Said body portion in tandem relation and insubstantially the same horizontal plane and each wing including cabinsfor housing a propeller-driving engine, movable steering planes disposedbelow said wings, a single means for simultaneously adjusting saidsteering planes, a movable vertical rudder at the tail end of said bodyportion, movable horizontal rudders on the sides of said verticalrudder, and means for operating said rudders. Y

2. The combination as specified in claim l, including a gangwayconnecting the wings of each pair near their outer ends.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ALFRED HERBERT.

